How to book bus tickets in Brazil

Want to book bus tickets for Brazil but confused how to do it online? Not sure how easy it is to buy tickets in person? Then I’m here to help.

When we first travelled to Brazil back in 2007 it was pretty difficult, if not impossible, to buy tickets online before starting our trip. For one thing not many bus companies had websites and some of those that had didn’t take online bookings. You also needed a Brazilian CPF (social security number) to make a booking.

Fast forward to 2016 and the situation has improved a lot.

How can I book Brazilian bus tickets online?

There are a couple of options open to you if you want the peace of mind of having your bus journey booked before you arrive in the country. This is definitely worth doing on busier routes or when only one bus company serves the route you need, meaning limited spaces.

This website (in English) says it can be searched for routes and tickets on over 70 bus companies operating in Brazil. Simply enter your departure city and destination along with dates and hit search. They take payment by Visa and Mastercard as well as Paypal. It can be a bit hit and miss on the cities it lists – no entry for Bonito in Mato Grosso do Sul, a popular ecotourism destination for backpackers and locals alike.

With a similar number of bus companies and a better online search, this website does not take the booking direct, sending you off to buy on the individual company’s website.

3.. Search for the bus route online and book through the company’s website

Not all companies have online booking but this is improving every month. Search ‘buses Rio to Sao Paolo’ for example and several options come up. For more results try searching on google.com.br for ‘onibus +your destination’.

I’m not sure when I want to travel. Can I buy tickets at the bus station?

Yes, you can. Bear in mind some popular routes may get booked up so you may need to be a bit flexible on your departure time/day.

On popular routes you may find several bus companies offer the same route with different departure times or a different number of stops. A list of routes will be displayed on each bus company counter at the bus station. Most of the bus stations in big tows/cities are modern with left luggage facilities and places to eat or buy snacks for your journey.